|
 The strike will be the latest in a series of protests over the
past 18 months in the United States that have targeted fast-food
restaurant operators, including McDonald's Corp and Burger King
Worldwide Inc.
They come at a time when U.S. Democrats have been mounting efforts
to raise the federal minimum wage ahead of this year's mid-term
congressional elections, seeing income inequality as a powerful
campaign issue.
Fast-food workers are seeking $15 an hour and the right to unionize
without retaliation, union leaders said.
McDonald's, the world's biggest restaurant chain by revenue, and
Burger King have defended their treatment of employees, saying they
pay fare wages.
Jessica Davis, 25, a single mother of two who earns $8.98 an hour as
a crew trainer at a Chicago McDonald's restaurant, said she needs
more to make ends meet.
"I'm tired of making so much money for this company and they can't
give me a decent wage and decent hours," said Davis, who has four
years on the job but relies on family and public assistance. "I
don't think we should have to live this way."
The strike will be in 150 cities including Boston, Chicago, New
York, Philadelphia and Miami.
President Barack Obama has pushed Congress to raise the federal
minimum wage to $10.10 per hour from the current $7.25, a move
fought by the Republicans in Congress.
[to top of second column] |
Twenty-one states and Washington, D.C. have minimum wages higher
than the federal minimum wage, and 38 states have considered minimum
wage bills during the 2014 session, according to the National
Conference of State Legislatures. The state of Washington has the
highest minimum wage, at $9.32 an hour.
(Reporting by Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Jon Herskovitz and Steve
Orlofsky)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
